Al-Ittihad's Struggles Continue in Asian Champions League

Saudi Arabia's Al-Ittihad suffered a second consecutive defeat in the Asian Champions League Elite, losing narrowly to Al-Ahli Dubai with a 1-0 scoreline. The decisive moment came at Jeddah, courtesy of a header by Iranian midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi from a corner, leaving the home fans in dismay.

The loss compounded Al-Ittihad's woes, especially after parting ways with coach Laurent Blanc just days ago, with the team yet to secure a point after two matches. In other results, Qatar's Al-Sadd managed a 1-1 draw against Sharjah from the UAE, while FC Seoul of South Korea triumphed over Thailand's Buriram United 3-0.

Elsewhere, Japanese clubs had to settle for ties, with Sanfrecce Hiroshima drawing 1-1 with Shanghai Port, and Machida Zelvia ending in a goalless draw at Johor Darul Ta'zim. In a significant development, India's Mohun Bagan Super Giant withdrew from traveling to Iran for a fixture against Sepahan, due to safety concerns, prompting the AFC to expunge their earlier 1-0 loss to Ahal from the record.